2014 enviroFund™ grant recipients

enviroFund 2014 - Supporting a Sustainable Local Food System

2014 marks the second year in a 5-year commitment to the enviroFund program supporting the development of a sustainable and resilient local food system.

Why food?

Food is a topic that resonates with many people for many reasons. There are growing concerns about disappearing farmland, depleted wild salmon populations, inequities in food distribution, the rise of a fast-food culture, and the carbon footprint of food. Fortunately at the same time there is an emerging local interest in growing food, buying local and organic foods, and working to ensure sustainable food production within our communities.

Sustainable food production provides economic, social, and environmental benefits to our communities. It can help improve community well-being, contribute to the local economy, and ensure ecosystem health. It also helps secure a supply of food for local consumption and keeps our food system resilient.

2014 focus areas & grants

1. Targeted sector support initiatives ($100,000 in total)

This support is designed to facilitate the growth and development in identified key Local Organic Food (LOF) sector organizations, that can help build and develop a resilient local food system and a pipeline of LOF business.

Recipients:

BC Association of Farmers Markets (BCAFM), ($50,000) - building consumer markets for new and emerging farms and small scale food processing businesses. The first priority will be to support the growth and viability of Farmers Market organizations throughout our operating area. Through a comprehensive series of business management courses, networking and mentorship opportunities, the BCAFM will build and develop a strong local Farmers Market presence within the Vancity operating area. Our members, cardholders and community branches will be able to directly engage with the Farmers Market in their community and see how the enviroFund is building strong local communities, while supporting the development of our local food system.Small Scale Food Processors Association (SSFPA), ($50,000) – supporting the growth and development of emerging local small scale food processing businesses. Through networking events, business development courses and mentorship opportunities the SSFPA will work in partnership with Vancity to provide the supports needed to grow this important sector of the local food system.

2. Sustainable Food System Development Initiatives ($150,000 in total)

These grants support key policy, planning and sector support initiatives that will enable the development of a strong and resilient sustainable local food system. Recipient organizations have strong reputations in the community and work collaboratively with Vancity in support of our goal to build a strong and resilient local food sector. Both core organizational funding and project funding is available.

Recipients:

The Capital Region Food and Agriculture Initiatives Roundtable (CRFAIR), $50,000 - $25,000 for core organizational funding to support the regional food and agriculture roundtable’s work in the Capital Regional District, and $25,000 for various program initiatives in their local agriculture infrastructure development program. Priority areas include: farmland access, sound technical and farm business management, processing and storage infrastructure, and regional branding and marketing programs.FarmFolk CityFolk $50,000 - $25,000 for core organizational funding to continue their work to develop the local food sector and $25,000 for the following two program initiatives: refine/expand their Meet Your Maker event, a program that helps build local markets for local food businesses, and the development of a pilot urban local food distribution system in partnership with the Vancouver Farmers Market Society that connects local farmers with local chefs.Vancouver Urban Farming Society $25,000 – Funding will support both core and program initiatives. The key program areas supported include: urban farming workshop series, community urban farm tours, the Vancouver Urban Farming Forum, tool share program, and the intern enrichment program.BC Food Systems Network (BCFSN), $25,000 - Funding will support BCFSN to capture, share and support the implementation and scaling up of innovative practices and policy related to sustainable local food systems through research, education and policy development. Their Good Food Solutions for BC: Sustainable Local Food Economies program will facilitate community organizations, funders, government and businesses to work together to support the development of a sustainable local food system.

3. Local Food Project Grants ($250,000 in total)

These projects are intended to support two areas:

a) local food production - supporting farmers, breeders, harvesters and fishers whose approach to food production protects the environment and communities b) building the capacity of the local food system - through the development of distribution systems, markets or other enabling initiatives that support local, organic &/or sustainable food social enterprises, cooperatives and businesses.

Recipients:

Living Oceans Society, $32,500Sea to Fork Seafood Processing - Living Oceans Society will help create a fish processing plant for locally caught, sustainable seafood sold through a community supported fishery (CSF). Removing this barrier in the supply chain will enable us to assist the CSF to expand into new markets and provide support for local small-scale fishers and the industry.Long Term Inmates in Community, (LINC), $40,000Emma’s Acres Reintegration - Emma's Acres is an agricultural social enterprise that provides offenders with employment skills & re-integration supports as they transition out of prison. It also assists survivors of serious crime and enhances food security in Mission.Fresh Roots Urban Farm Society, $16,000Sharing the Harvest - The objective is to grow the capacity of the local food system in south and east Vancouver with three key initiatives; expanding our community Good Food markets, growing our educational outreach, and back-end support for food security organizations.North Shore Neighbourhood House, $20,000Edible Garden Project - Funds will expand the Loutet Farm operations to a second site at Sutherland Secondary School, double food production and include hands-on learning opportunities for students and staff.Centre for Sustainable Food Systems at UBC Farm, $40,000Scaling Up 2: Local food for regional health – The project will build a roadmap for models of farm to institution procurement, which is quite difficult in the healthcare sector. The project will develop a pilot local food purchasing model using the UBC Hospital. Asian Environmental Association, (Hua Foundation), $31,500 The Choi Project: Phase II- This project creates a market for local and sustainable food for Chinatown grocers in the Hua or ethnic Chinese market. This includes creation of a Seasonal Choi Guide, a media campaign, cooking workshops and other activities. The project addresses the need for diversity within the local food movement. Public Health Association of BC, $30,000Realizing Local, Sustainable Procurement Goals for VSB - This partnership between the Vancouver School Board and Farm to School aims to increase the purchase of local sustainable food in the Vancouver school system. It is a demonstration project that has capacity to be replicated.Galiano Conservancy Association, $40,000Galiano Community Food Forest: Phase I - This project will create a permaculture food forest, a locally adapted, sustainable and high-yielding system that will contribute to and inspire resilient alternatives to conventional agriculture.